Leazes Park

Leazes Park is a Grade II listed urban park in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the city's oldest park, opened in 1873, and lies to the west of the city centre. The park contains a lake above the course of the Lort Burn. It is next to St James' Park and the Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Leazes Park is separated from Spital Tongues by Castle Leazes, an area of common land similar to the Town Moor.

The creation of Leazes Park was a drawn out process. In September 1857 3,000 working men petitioned Newcastle Council for ‘ready access to some open ground for the purpose of health and recreation’ and a year later a special committee was set up to try to find a location for a park. Aldermen Harle and Hamond took up the challenge and campaigned for a park and eventually succeeded in having Leazes Park created on a part of the Leazes Town Moor.

On 23 December 1873, Leazes Park was officially opened by Alderman Sir Charles Hamond. It became the first public park created on Tyneside.

John Fulton, the Town Surveyor, laid out Leazes Park similar to other parks being built in Britain at that time. The layout centres on the lake. The Bandstand was added in 1875 and a balustrade stone terrace in 1879. Later, the whole park was surrounded with metal railings. A second lake was created in 1893 but this was filled in by 1949 and the area used for a bowling green and tennis courts.

The grand Jubilee Gates were added in 1896 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria and a Palm House was built. In 1908 a bust of Alderman Sir Charles Hamond was erected (which is also grade II listed) as the centrepiece to the terrace and the park was then complete.

The park continued to develop with deer, aviaries, tennis, and croquet until the 1980s when it was in need of refurbishment. The refurbishment became possible when the park was awarded £3.7 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2001. The restoration project was completed in 2004.

Description courtesy of Wikipedia.






17th August 2022



Leazes Park, bust of Alderman Hamond.

Bust on pedestal. Dated 1905. Bronze bust of Alderman Sir Chas. F. Hamond (sic) JP.DL. on tapered sandstone pedestral inscribed with name. ERECTED/13 FEB 1905/ TO/COMMEMORATE/HIS SERVICE/IN OBTAINING/THIS PARK/IN/1872/. A laurel wreath below; and below that PALMAM CU MERUIT FERAT. Bust damaged at time of survey.

Grade 2 Listed. Source: Sitelines.




Leazes Park Bandstand.

The Bandstand was rebuilt to the original design in 2003 and then refurbished in 2017.




Barbecue Oven.




Leazes Park, boatman's hut.

The original buildings in Leazes Park add to the character and quality of the park. The Boatman’s Hut is a small square building. It is predominantly green and cream painted wood, but has a lower course of bricks. The entrance on the east face is a double door, painted green to match the rest of the woodwork. A pyramidal roof tops the building and overhangs on each side.

Source: Sitelines.




Play Area.

A section of the play area was closed off on my visit.




Leazes Park, Springbank Pavilion.

The interior of Springbank Pavilion, situated in Leazes Park, is interesting. The inside of the pavilion was used as accommodation for bowlers and fishermen. It is designed in an ‘L’ shape, constructed using a wooden frame and set on a stone base. The exterior is painted green and cream, and there are a series of small double windows around the pavilion below the gables.

Source: Sitelines.




The Friends Garden.

The Friends Garden cost over £10,000 which was raised by volunteer group The Friends of Leazes Park. A dedicated seating area which boasts a wide variety of trees, shrubs and plants chosen for their colour, shape, form, texture and fragrance.




Leazes Park Terrace.




The Old Potting Shed.

One of the original buildings in Leazes Park which adds to the character and quality of the park. The old potting shed is an L shaped wood and brick single storey building. The wooden features are painted green and cream in contrast with the red of the bricks. As well as serving an important function as an Education Centre the building is also used by the park gardeners.

Source: Sitelines.




The Tower Cafe.




Moffat Pavilion.

Moffat Pavilion forms part of one of the most important areas of green space in Newcastle. The Pavilion is one of the earliest buildings to survive in Leazes Park. It is a single storey wooden framed structure set in a stone base. A corrugated roof overhangs the building below, which is painted green and cream.

Source: Sitelines.




Tennis Courts.




Western lodge.

Now being left to fall down of it's own accord this two storey Victorian building was originally the Head Gardener’s Lodge. It is a brick structure with stone decoration, and a patterned slate roof. A central porch is located at the front of the lodge, and gables are situated at either side of the first floor windows.

Source: Sitelines.




Leazes Park Maze.




SOS Alarms.

A button will never replace the role of a fully funded park keeper. This alarm was installed after a recent abhorrent crime had taken place in the park.









18th January 2018































21st August 2017










































25th November 2014





















1st November 2013









15th January 2013



















25th November 2010




















11th April 2010








2nd December 2008













20th October 2008













16th February 2008











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30th April 2007









22nd June 2006









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17th January 2006










23rd November 2005










12th November 2005









31st August 2005








21st August 2005










Photos taken by reader Richard Walker of the lake when it was frozen over and then was covered with a fresh snowfall.







And a couple more photos from Richard Walker. Thanks Richard.








More Information:
See my other photos around Leazes Park:

3 comments:

Gary said...

We used to have about four Band stands in the Park where I used to live, I can even remember a Band playing in one of them :-) Only the bases are left now as far as I know, due to vandals :-(

Newcastle Photos said...

I've never noticed that one in use either apart from the day the park re-opened after a major clean up.

Anonymous said...

Great memories!